Licensing Law Reforms Put on Hold for Further Scrutiny

Efforts to modernise Jersey’s alcohol licensing laws, which date back around half a century, have been put on hold to allow for further examination of the proposals.

The changes, put forward by the minister for sustainable economic development, would see responsibility for issuing licences to pubs and restaurants transferred from the courts to politicians. While the States Assembly agreed in principle to the reforms on Thursday, members stopped short of advancing the legislation to a second reading, citing concerns over how the system would operate in practice.

Deputy Kirsten Morel acknowledged that aspects of the draft law required more work but said he remained hopeful that States members would ultimately back the proposals. He told the assembly the reforms were intended to support the hospitality industry as it continues to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said the sector faced more positive prospects and argued that endorsing the principles of the law would demonstrate political support for an industry that plays an important role in island life.

However, the proposals prompted debate among States members, with some questioning whether such a significant overhaul was necessary. Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache, the sole member to oppose the law in principle, criticised the plan to move alcohol licensing decisions from the Royal Court to the Jersey Gambling Commission.

He said the outcome of licence applications would likely remain unchanged and questioned the rationale for altering a system he believed was already working effectively.